1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to an image processor, an image forming apparatus, an image forming system comprising these apparatuses, a computer-readable recording medium that records an image forming program, and an image forming method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming systems have conventionally existed that can be used in the same manner as copying machines, wherein a scanner that reads an original document is connected to a printer that performs printing, and the original document image data read by the scanner is output by means of the printer. In this type of image forming system, various types of scanner/printer combinations are available, and the user can select the scanner and printer based on the functions and performance desired. In addition, image forming systems exist wherein multiple printers and scanners are connected by means of a network. In these image forming systems, the images read from a certain scanner or images created using a personal computer or other apparatus may be output to various printers.
However, in the conventional image forming systems, because there are various possible scanner/printer combinations, and because different printers have different output characteristics (reproduced gradation, color reproduction, etc.), variations occur in the quality of the output images.
The present invention was created in view of this problem, and an object of the present invention is to eliminate variations in the output image quality that occur due to differences among the printers connected to the image forming system.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an image processor that can communicate with an external image forming apparatus includes instruction means for requesting image processing parameter adjustment data from the external image forming apparatus; receiving means for receiving image processing parameter adjustment data from the external image forming apparatus; and means for performing adjustment of an image processing parameter based on the image processing parameter adjustment data received by the receiving means.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus that can communicate with an external image processor comprises data creating means for creating image processing parameter adjustment data; and transmission means for transmitting the image processing parameter adjustment data created by the data creating means to the external image processor.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an image forming system comprising includes an image forming apparatus and an image processor. The image processor includes instruction means for requesting image processing parameter adjustment data from the image forming apparatus; receiving means for receiving image processing parameter adjustment data from the image forming apparatus, and image processing means for performing adjustment of an image processing parameter based on the image processing parameter adjustment data received by the receiving means. The image forming apparatus includes data creating means for creating image processing parameter adjustment data, and transmission means for transmitting the image processing parameter adjustment data created by the data creating means to the image processor.
The present invention also relates to a computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded an image forming program for an image forming system comprising an image processor and an image forming apparatus. The image forming program comprises a step whereby the image forming apparatus creates image processing parameter adjustment data, a step whereby the image processor requests the image processing parameter adjustment data from the image forming apparatus, a step whereby the image processing parameter adjustment data is transmitted to the image processor, a step whereby the image processing parameter adjustment data sent from the image forming apparatus is received by the image processor, and a step whereby adjustment of an image processing parameter is performed based on the received image processing parameter adjustment data.
And, an image forming method for an image forming system having an image processor and an image forming apparatus includes the steps of the image forming apparatus creating image processing parameter adjustment data, the image processor requesting the image processing parameter adjustment data from the image forming apparatus, the image processing parameter adjustment data is transmitted to the image processor, the image processing parameter adjustment data sent from the image forming apparatus is received by the image processor, and performing adjustment of an image processing parameter based on the received image processing parameter adjustment data.
In the above descriptions, the image processing parameter may include either a gamma correction table or a color conversion coefficient.